The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Action, Crime, Thriller

Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman

Eight years on, a new evil rises from where the Batman and Commissioner Gordon tried to bury it, causing the Batman to resurface and fight to protect Gotham City... the very city which brands him an enemy.

The Dark Knight Rises is an ambitious, thoughtful, and potent action film that concludes Christopher Nolan's franchise in spectacular fashion.

Trailer:

Nolan has outdone himself... again.10/10

Christopher Nolan has outdone himself with this one. At 3.30 in the morning, I was tired. Just getting out of it, I've never been so awake.

Perhaps what set this film apart from his other films was that it had a genuine emotional heartbeat. I felt that this was a flaw of Nolan's other films - the vision of emotion was there, but it was hollow. In this I bought it. I felt it, hero and villain alike.

Christian Bale was typically brilliant as Batman, and I felt that Bruce Wayne was more heavily embraced in this final installment. Bale added emotional depth to the character - a plot point that I think went astray in The Dark Knight - picking up from the development made in Batman Begins.

Tom Hardy as Bane was quite simply, terrifying. No longer a dunderhead "enforcer", but one of the criminal masterminds behind "Gotham's Reckoning", coupled with a physical dominance strong enough to send shivers down your spine.

Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle defied my expectations. Hands up who was not entirely convinced that that girl from the Princess Diaries could handle an intensely physical role like Catwoman. But here I am, hugely impressed. She added immeasurably to the value of the film.

Marion Cotillard fulfilled the role of Miranda Tate admirably, though I suspect this was the most underdeveloped character of the film - though after watching, I can see why.

The unsung hero of The Dark Knight Rises is Michael Caine as Alfred. A heartfelt performance that helps drive the emotional content of the film, helping Nolan sell his most well-rounded film to date. Caine's performance in both presence and absence.

Special mention goes to Joseph Gordon Levitt, who is consistently proving himself to be a big player in the Hollywood game. His role as officer Blake felt like there could've been more, but it may just have come all a bit much. It was a great performance, and Levitt sunk his teeth into role.

If you can, go see this in IMAX. If any film was to sell the format to skeptics, The Dark Knight Rises would be IT. I'm happy Nolan stuck to his guns and shot in 2D. 3D would have been unnecessary.

I suppose at this point, I have to turn my focus on Nolan. If he ever reads this... aspiring filmmaker to filmmaker, I've never been so envious, jealous in all my life. It's a film that leaves me floundering, wondering what I could possibly do to get anywhere near this ballpark. Well done. I think an Oscar Nomination is in order.

From here, I'm not sure what to expect of the future. Does our imagination carry us forward, or do the studios? Time will tell.

I had the honor of watching TDKR during a screening and was completely blown away! Christopher Nolan's third film in his Batman trilogy doesn't disappoint. The movie is incredibly well made, its huge production is quite breathtaking to view. This is a true cinematic experience, to behold. The movie exceeded my expectations in terms of action, and entertainment. The movie's score high-lites many of its incredible scenes, and at times, it takes your breath away.

The film featured excellent performances, by all the cast. Christian Bale, as always is great as Batman. Anne Hathaway was completely engrossing, she became "Catwoman", just like Michele Pfeiffer did, although their interpretations were very different, both were equally effective. Tom Hardy was the main villain "Bane" completely shattered my expectations. One of the best superhero movie villains, I've ever seen. The terror caused by him, is completely believable and quite menacing. Marlion Cotilliard, Michael Cane, Gary Oldman, and others all did well in their respective roles. Now I know most will miss Heath Ledger as the Joker.(I know I do) I hope people don't compare Tom Hardy's performance to Heath Ledger's, its completely unfair and the two characters are very different. Just read the comics.

The colossal size of the film is a spectacle to behold, but surprisingly you don't get lost with all the explosions and extravagant action scenes, like in other films,(AKA Transformers, or POTC.) If one were to gripe, and I suppose there will never be a film made that one cannot find a point at which to grip, it is painfully long running time here. I found myself more worried about the pain in my posterior than the emotional final minutes after almost 3 hours that I had spent in a cramped seat, but that's just how I am. However the ending is just fantastic, so emotional and bring the trilogy to a very satisfying end.

Sorry if I'm being all fan-boyish and kissing this movie's behind, but I really admire it. It may not be among my personal favorites but generally this seems to be the movie event of this year. As a film though, this is amazing. A true lasting legacy in superhero story telling and summer-blockbusters.

Not being a huge fan of superhero movies, I didn't have much expectations for Batman Begins. However viewing the 2005 Christopher Nolan production, I was pleasantly shocked. Then after my huge expectations for, "The Dark Knight", Christopher Nolan blew my expectations to the dust. Will the same happen with the 3rd and last film, "The Dark Knight Rises"? Quite simply, Yes! My big expectations were once again, blown away. What a production! This is a true cinematic experience, to behold. The movie exceeded my expectations in terms of action, and entertainment. The editing, sound, score, visuals, direction and action are all top notch.

The film contains a fine cast of talented actors. Christian Bale, of course still makes is a great Batman. Michael Cain is fantastic, as he always is. He gives such a powerful performance, he really ought to be considered for an Oscar nomination. Tom Hardy as Bane is utterly terrifying, at times, and completely ominous. Anne Hathaway as Catwoman/Selina Kyle is a scene stealer. She is completely engrossing. Everyone is so great, the dynamic scenes between the actors are so well done, so well written, and so well directed. The Dark Knight Rises is is emotionally riveting and amazing to view.

At a running time of almost 3 hours, the film never becomes dull, which is pretty impressive. The movie's action sequences are spectacularly well created and very intense. The dialogue between the character's are intelligent and highly believable. The movie's soundtrack is terrific and really exemplify's many of the movie's scenes. Extremely well editing and sound use really develop many of the movie's action scenes, so it's not just explosions and visuals like in many other movies. Nolan creates a grand, dirty, engrossing world, and his action sequences just hum.

In conclusion, this film is a gorgeous reminder that great writing and direction can enhance any movie-going experience, even superhero movies, which are usually thought of as mindless entertainment. I am wholly satisfied with Christopher Nolan's vision and thank all who worked on this film for bringing such an intricate interpretation of its very famous literary source. I cannot recommend this film anymore than I have, I just have to say everyone and anyone should see it. 10/10"

What makes things worse, is that its predecessors were basically intricate works of genius, but TDKR lacks essentially everything that made The Dark Knight (particularly) one of the greatest superhero movies ever produced. On top of all this, everyone's bandwagoning on thinking it's great because it's "supposed" to be great, right?!?! How could Nolan's finale not be a masterpiece?! Well, I'll tell you...

Bruce Wayne acts out-of-character from not just the first two movies, but from the comic as well. Catwoman's motivation and place in the story is weak, flat, and forced. For a movie that's almost three hours long, you only get about 20 minutes of Batman in costume (if you're lucky). The movie jumps in weird time increments that are mildly confusing, but mostly forced to facilitate its wanna-be epic nature.

As for more heavily SPOILERY observations...

Commissioner Gordon is barely in the movie, spending most his time injured in a hospital, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character comes out of the blue and does what you'd expect the Commissioner to be doing... solution- COMBINE THE TWO CHARACTERS!!!

The two Batman vs. Bane fights are flat and boring as hell. Bane is a cardboard, unexplored (until a late-third act flashback... of all ridiculous cliche plot devices) character that reaches for sympathy in one of the most embarrassing, wanna-be-tender, totally out-of-place, extremely laughable scenes I've ever seen in my life- HE FRIGGIN' CRIES?!!?!?

Every single, yes EVERY SINGLE cop in Gotham marches down into the sewers on a tip that Bane's raising a secret army, only to have all the entrances blown up so they can be trapped down there... for like three months. Reread that last sentence and tell me what part of it makes sense.

Bane holds Gotham hostage with a 4 megaton nuclear device, after blowing up all but one bridge leading into and out of the city, for three months and the U.S. government does nothing. Seriously, nothing. It's said they negotiated a truce and had FEMA send in supplies for survival. Read that last paragraph and tell me what part of it makes sense.

The "real" villain reveals him/her self in an absurd Act 3 "twist" that's followed by a narrated flashback (the same one that leads to Bane CRYING), and throughout the entire monologue Batman sits there doing nothing after a knife has been thrust/held into his side.

After the 2nd lame Bats/Bane fight, the bulk of the late Act 3rd "action sequence" consists of little more than Batman flying around in that weird-looking clunky flying thing that supposed to be the Bat Plane- half of which is of him outmaneuvering missiles that the bulky "plane" couldn't have possibly eluded.

I really, really, really, really, really, really wanted to not just like this, but LOVE it, but as it progressed the enthusiasm cloud gradually cleared to the point of my being utterly flabberghasted in disappointment- mostly because I can't believe the director of The Dark Knight and the masterpiece that is Inception was responsible for this movie. It's lazy and uninspired to the point of being offensive to everyone who's ever been not just a Batman fan, but a fan of non- intelligence-insulting movies.

I don't get what all the 10's are about. I don't see how this movie is a 10, or rather even an 8. There are so many plot holes, the characters are so one dimensional, action sequences OK at best.

Where do I even begin. Banes voice. I admit, I didn't get what he was saying more than half the time, and even then I had to strain really hard. It was just awful. There were jokes about not understanding Bales growling, but this, this is something else. The movie would have been better without him talking.

Catwoman! Suddenly she feels remorse and becomes goody goody at the end, Oh the lord, this was about as predictable as rain in Seattle(very, if you're unsure).

Talia, what a big face-palm. Might as well have made a movie when the Batman woke up from a dream at that point. Can the plot get ANY more cliched? Thanks for popping up the MAIN criminal at the end of the movie, who apparently had the hots for Batman.

Batman, his screen time is mostly groaning and screaming and getting beaten around in boxing by Bane. He becomes a superior fighter by jumping across the ledge? I think that's not how the body works. There isn't any Batman stuff at all. Just punching and kicking. Muhammad Ali would have been a better hero to fit that role (Yay, incoming dislikes from people who don't know who that is). Also, big copter no one can find, yea right.

Sheep followers wanting to get blown up. Ya, because getting evaporated by a nuclear bomb is so awesome that every "mercenary" wants to do it. Oh, but they didn't know that they'd be blown up.

All policemen going underground like a herd of cows because they want to scout out the underground operations and therefore getting caught. Sigh.

Big fight scenes. Police officers don't walk in formation with guns against a bunch of mercenaries on higher ground and they all don't start shooting at point blank range. No. That's not how police work. Or any modern force with guns. That ONLY works in Lord of the Rings, because they had SWORDS! Who wrote this script?

The other batman movies were good. The first one was great. The second was good too. This one is ridiculous. I don't know how people can be so blind to so many obvious flaws. Even with that, the best moments in this film are...unimpressive. Did I go into the theater with high hopes. Not at all. I expected average, I was disappointed to not find even that.